HP Deskjet 3630 Review, Pros & Cons

When it comes to printer products, HP has been renowned as one of the best manufacturers. A wide array of choices with a variety of features and specifications have been launched, allowing you to choose one that suits your preferences. Among its products, HP Deskjet 3630 is a great all-in-one printer with decent quality and quick print speed.

Unfortunately, the manufacturer is no longer producing the HP Deskjet 3630 and launches its successor that is cheaper. But the predecessor offers various features including high-quality printing and excellent performance to enhance your experience. Available in a compact design, this printer will be suitable in your small space.

HP Deskjet 3630 Design and Dimensions

I am always excited to talk about the design of this printer. The HP Deskjet 3630 comes with elegant design, thanks to the combination of a clean white color scheme with a slight blue area for the control panel. Its compact design and size allow you to locate the all in one printer even in a small desk. The dimensions of 17.25 x 12.21 x 6.22 inches make this printer machine a space saver.

The Deskjet 3630 weighs 4.2 kg, thanks to plastic casing that makes it pretty lightweight. But if you are not really into plastic material for the printer device, this might be a problem for you. While printing, the plastic casing can be rather rattling and looks flimsy. As a solution, you can take advantage of the Quiet Mode that reduces the noise level.

In the blue or white area, you can find a control panel with several indicators including WIFI, scanner control, and so on. This machine is also equipped with a small LCD display that allows you to monitor the number of pages that have been printed.

HP Deskjet 3630 Features and Specifications

HP Deskjet 3630 is a versatile all-in-one printer with multi-functions, offering you a different experience while printing. Despite its affordable price, this machine offers a lot of features and specifications. Before making any decision, you should know any convenience provided by this machine.

• Versatile functions

As the name suggests, this printer allows you to do several tasks including printing, copying, and scanning. The 4-color inkjet printer and scanner support print resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi and scanner resolution of 1200 dpi. The resolution enables this printer to produce high-quality printing with legible texts and graphics with vivid colors.

• Inkjet technology

This printing machine is supported by HP Thermal Inkjet technology that is able to offer high-quality printing. When it is combined with the right ink and paper, it will produce legible texts and vivid color for graphic printing. The technology comes with 4 ink colors that include Black, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow.

• Media handling

The HP Deskjet 3630 is equipped with an input tray and output tray as documents and media handling. The capacity of the input tray is up to 60 sheets while the output tray is up to 25 sheets. I consider this capacity makes the printer suitable for the home environment.

The printer supports various paper sizes that weigh up to 90gsm. You can also use the HP card and HP Photo paper that weighs 300gsm in this printer. You can also print borderless graphics with excellent print quality.

• Print speed

When it comes to print speed, this low-cost all-in-one printer is not the fastest choice to opt for. The print speed, however, depends on what you are printing. For monochrome pages, this machine is able to offer up to 8.5 pages per minute. Meanwhile, for color pages, you can expect no more than 6 pages per minute. For draft mode, it supports up to 20 pages per minute for black color.

• Printing mode

There are several printing modes offered by this machine. You can opt for Black and White printing, Black and White draft, color printing, and color draft. Each mode may affect the performance and speed of your printer machine. For instance, color pages may be slower than black and white pages.

In addition to printing mode, this device provides you with a Quiet Mode that allows you to print quietly. But when you use this mode, the printer will be slower. In fact, I found that the normal mode is not particularly noisy so I don’t necessarily need to change into a Quiet Mode.

Print Quality and Costs

The HP Deskjet 3630 is a multipurpose printer with good print quality in its class, though you should not expect too much from this low-cost machine. After using the printer, I found that the text quality is pretty reasonable considering its inexpensive price. But I think this device can give you a satisfactory result for letters, kid’s homework, or an essay.

Furthermore, I noticed that the Deskjet 3630 lacks the smooth outlines of the text offered by other inkjet printers with the best quality. If you are planning to use the printer for business, you may need to consider a pricier printer with better print quality.

For color printing, the Deskjet 3630 is more reliable. This machine can do a good job of printing graphs and charts or presentations. It is able to produce crisp colors, especially when you use the right printing paper. But you should note that printing color pages can slow the machine down.

How about the printing cost? It is like a basic rule that a cheap printer means expensive ink. This also applies in the Deskjet 3630. The black cartridge can only yield up to 190 pages while it delivers up to 165 pages. When each black cartridge costs around $15, it means you have to pay 7 cents per page. The amount increases significantly for a color page. Each cartridge that costs $17 means 10 cents per page.

HP Deskjet 3630 Ink Cartridge

Your Deskjet 3630 machine uses a special HP ink cartridge to optimize its performance and print quality. This printer is specifically designed to work with several ink choices including HP 302 and HP 302 XL. Be sure to use this ink cartridge type to deliver the best print production.

If you cannot decide between HP 302 and HP 302XL, you may need to pay attention to the following tips. I have found that the HP 302 standard is the best choice if you print occasionally. When you print only for kid’s homework or presentation, this ink cartridge will accommodate your needs. But if you are a frequent user with daily usage, HP 302XL will be the best choice.

This High-yield ink cartridge can deliver more pages, at the same time saves more money. This means the cartridge gives you a lower cost per page as you don’t need to replace the cartridge too often. For your convenience, HP provides a low price and fast delivery service. You can order the HP 302 and HP 302XL for home environment or small office.

HP Deskjet 3630 Connectivity and Software

Connectivity is an important aspect to consider when choosing a printer. A variety of interfaces allows you to print the documents from various devices such as smartphones, tablet, desktop, or laptop. Your HP printer machine supports WIFI connectivity, allowing you to print documents from compatible devices. Printing documents directly from a smartphone or tablet is now easier.

In addition to WIFI connectivity, this printer also supports a USB interface. The USB 2.0 interface can build a fast connection with a laptop or desktop for high performance. The Deskjet 3630 is equipped with mobile printing capability that includes Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service. Now you can enjoy an improved printing experience with these features.

When it comes to the software included, this HP printing machine offers drivers and utilities software to help you install the program effortlessly. HP Photo Creations is also included to enjoy, allowing you to edit photos and graphics before printing. The Deskjet 3630 can run well in Mac OS and Windows operating system. For Windows, it should be Windows Vista and higher.

HP Deskjet 3630 Pros and Cons

Despite its low cost, the Deskjet 3630 is a printing machine that offers versatility and convenience. But nothing is perfect, so the HP Deskjet 3630. I am about to deliver the pros and cons of this device, helping you make the right decision before purchasing one.

HP Deskjet 3630 Pros

• Affordable price

The HP Deskjet 3630 is an inexpensive all-in-one printer that can be a great solution for any of you who are on a tight budget. This machine costs around $51, which is very affordable compared to other inkjet printers. Either for home or small office, the Deskjet 3630 can help you with the printing tasks without breaking the savings.

• Decent print quality

Thanks to the combination of HP thermal inkjet technology and HP special ink that delivers a decent print quality. Compared with the price, the Deskjet 3630 can give legible text print as well as a crisp color for graphic print. If you need the printer to finish the homework or for presentation, this printer is more than enough for you.

• Instant Ink

To support print quality, this machine is specifically designed with Instant Ink from HP. The ink cartridges are available in two options that include Standard-yield and High-yield. The cartridge option can be adjusted with your printing needs. When you use the printer quite often, High-yield cartridge will be the best choice.

• Lightweight

This printer weighs about 4.2kg, which is very lightweight compared to other inkjet printer device. The compact design and dimensions allow the printer to be easily located in your small desk. It is also worth mentioning that the Deskjet 3630 is a space-saver.

HP Deskjet 3630 Cons

• Plastic casing feels flimsy

The Deskjet 3630 uses plastic casing that makes it feels flimsy and rattle while printing. It may be comparable to the price, but I wish to get a better casing material that does not evidently show its price. But this printer’s appearance is saved by the elegant white color.

• High printing cost

I belong to those who believe that a cheap printer means expensive ink, and this applies here. It is undeniable that the Deskjet 3630 comes at a low price. But the printing cost can spend much more money than you think. Compared to other inkjet printers, this HP printing machine comes with a higher printing cost and cartridge replacement.

• Low tray capacity

The machine’s tray can handle up to 60 sheets for the input tray and 25 sheets for the output tray. This capacity is considered low, especially if you often print a bulk of documents. This makes the Deskjet 3630 only suitable for home use and small office.

Final Verdict

The Deskjet 3630 is a multifunction all-in-one printer that meets your requirement of an affordable printing machine. Providing a lot of features such as decent print quality and various connectivity, it can enhance your printing experience. But you may consider its high printing cost and cartridge replacement.

What do you think about this printer device? If you are looking for a quality printer with low price, the Deskjet 3630 is recommended. But if you wish to have a printer with better performance, you may need to find other printer devices.